China’s support for UAE on disputed Gulf Islands deepens rift with Iran

China’s latest tilt toward the UAE over three disputed Gulf islands has angered Iran, exposing visible strain in the Xi–Khamenei axis and reviving a decades-old sovereignty clash in the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran blasted Abu Dhabi’s claims as a violation of Iranian territory while hardline media warned that Beijing’s stance “implicitly” weakens its own argument that Taiwan is non-negotiable. Watch for details